A's starting rotation a fluid situation entering spring training

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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 11: Mike Fiers #50 of the Oakland Athletics pitches in the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 11, 2018 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

MESA, Ariz. — When the A’s gather at Hohokam Stadium on Monday for their first workout of the spring, they’ll be kicking off a season with something they havent had for a while: confidence.

This isn’t the hope-we-make-the-playoffs type of confidence. This is the we’ve-been-there-before type of confidence.

The A’s are coming off a season in which they not only reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014, but also went blow-for-blow with the Houston Astros, winning 97 games and earning respect.

Opposing teams no longer lick their chops when they see Oakland on the schedule. As many teams learned last year, the A’s have put together an offense that can explode at any moment. It’s an offense that scored 813 runs last season — only Boston, the Yankees and Cleveland scored more — and it has Oakland thinking this season can extend beyond the wild card game.

“I don’t think we have a target on our back, but I think people know what we’re capable of now,” pitcher Sean Manaea said. “There’s gonna be power throughout the lineup. The ultimate goal is to win a World Series and I think that’s a very real possibility.”

The Oakland bullpen ranked third in the majors in ERA last season (3.37) and although the A’s lost one good arm in Jeurys Familia, they gained one in Joakim Soria, who should adequately fill the eighth-inning role and also has closing experience.

So is there any flaw with this team? That might come in the starting rotation.

There is plenty to be excited about with the A’s, but the state of the rotation is one cause for concern. Here are five big questions for the A’s to ponder as they head to the desert.

1. Will Kyler Murray play baseball?

This doesn’t necessarily affect this upcoming season as Murray would likely spend the entire year in the minor leagues, but it will certainly be a national headline over the next few days.

Heres what we do know: Report date for position players is Feb. 15 and the A’s expect Murray to be among that group arriving in Mesa. That optimism surely took a hit last week, when it was reported that Murray would be attending the NFL scouting combine, which takes place in Indianapolis Feb. 26-March 4, less than two weeks after his presumed arrival to A’s camp.

During last month’s A’s FanFest, Billy Beane said the club had not discussed the possibility of allowing Murray to leave camp for the combine and then return. The A’s would probably like to do whatever it takes in order to prevent completely wasting their No. 9 overall pick from last year’s draft, but unless Murray gets to the combine and completely stinks it up or measures extremely lower than expected, that first-round projection going around by most NFL Draft experts isn’t likely to change.

As of right now, Murray’s chances of sticking to baseball appear to be in serious danger.

2. Will Jesus Luzardo crack the starting rotation out of spring?

Luzardo has turned into the organization’s prodigy. From coaches claiming his stuff looks better than that of the Zito-Hudson-Mulder Big Three to drawing comparisons to stars like Johan Santana, the expectations can’t get much higher for the 21-year-old left-hander.

But could he really begin the regular season in the majors? A’s manager Bob Melvin can see it happening.

“I think he is ready,” Melvin said during December’s MLB winter meetings. “What we saw in spring training last year, we ran him out there against a formidable lineup on purpose, and he’s the type of kid who has a presence on the mound that you typically don’t see from a younger guy… We’re gonna bring him to spring training with an opportunity to start with us.”

Luzardo blazed his way from Single-A to Triple-A in 2018 on an innings limit of around 120 innings. Without much better options to start the season, the A’s may look to make sure any innings limit placed on him this year begins in the majors if he continues to impress this spring.

3. Which five pitchers will make the starting rotation?

The way things stand right now, Mike Fiers and Marco Estrada are really the only two locks. In the rotation, Luzardo will face competition from guys like Daniel Mengden, Frankie Montas, Chris Bassitt, Paul Blackburn and Parker Bridwell for the final three spots.

This all could change if the A’s decide to add another starter via free agency, which Beane said club continues to look into. Plenty of solid options like Clay Buchholz and Gio Gonzalez remain on the market. They’ve also had contact with Edwin Jackson about a reunion after last year’s successful bounce back year.

4. Is this really what the A’s are doing at catcher?

The signing of Chris Herrmann in December wasn’t received with much enthusiasm from A’s fans, but he along with Josh Phegley are currently expected to platoon the starting catcher role to begin the season. Top prospect Sean Murphy will begin spring with the big league club, but having only three games at Triple-A under his belt and coming off a year that was cut short due to wrist surgery, it’s unlikely he lands on the Opening Day roster.

As hard as the A’s are looking at adding a starting pitcher, Beane said next on the list is adding a catcher. Matt Wieters, who the A’s have been reportedly shown interest in, remains available along with a plethora of backup-type catchers.

Jonathan Lucroy didn’t sign with the A’s last season until Cactus League play was already underway, so could another catcher fall into their laps for a second consecutive season?

5. Are Matt Chapman’s hand issues a thing of the past?

The A’s star third baseman appears to be on the cusp of being mentioned in the same breath among the game’s elite players, but that all depends on him staying healthy.

Hand issues began to bother Chapman last offseason, requiring multiple cortisone shots both in spring training and regular season, the latter landing him on the injured list for over two weeks. Chapman underwent surgery on his right thumb shortly after the season ended last October, and the A’s are hoping the procedure put any nagging discomfort to rest.

After going on a tear following the All-Star break last season when he hit .309 with 14 home runs and a .961 OPS, leading all of baseball with 25 doubles, 52 runs scored and 42 extra-base hits in the second half, Chapman has established himself as a darkhorse candidate for AL MVP this season.